Aging Deer

In reference to the page: http://www.azod.com/Hunting/Archive/2002/Deer%20shed%20their%20antlers.htm 

This page indicates that you can age a deer by it's antlers and that is incorrect. A yearling buck can carry more than 1 branch and have been found with 6 to 8 branches.  

You can only determine the age of a deer by it's teeth.  I recommend this page for more information on aging deer: http://www.huntingpa.com/deerteeth.html although there are probably photo teeth aging pages available with a search. 

Aging deer by their teeth is actually quite easy once you have learned what to look for. Hoof size, body size and antlers are all determined by the amount of nutrition, the kind of winter and spring (hard winters can make deer lean, depending on the spring nutrients to first assist in body size and what is left over, will determine the size of the antlers that year), and many other factors. These things cannot be used for aging. 

Some research has shown that in some areas of the country, deer consume easier-to-chew foods and may have less teeth wear, but the research has not been conclusive enough to determine that the tooth method isn't reliable.

Thank you.

Emily